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I read with interest the case report by Breitfield et al
, 1 in which the use of clonidine to reduce symptoms of opioid withdrawal is mentioned. It should be pointed out that clonidine is a μ2-adrenoceptor agonist, not an antagonist as reported in this article. 2

The effectiveness of this technique for detoxification from opioid addiction remains controversial. Within the actively using opioid-addicted individual, this technique has been used to “reset” the opioid receptors in persons who have lost their sensitivity to illicit opioids, thus allowing them to use again. This results in a dramatic loss in opioid tolerance, which, in the context of illicit drug use can lead to fatal overdoses. Currently, detoxification of individuals addicted to opioids by this method is experimental and without a clearly favorable cost–benefit ratio. 3